turbo tourism

After 2 weeks of moseying, lolling around, and general leisure, I just came off a 2-day stint of "turbo tourism". Monday was the warm-up day from 11-6pm, and yesterday was spent at the Forum by 10am and then went to Hadrian's villa by metro/buses, returned at 8:30pm and had a true Roman dinner beginning at 11pm. Needless to say I will be laying low today, apart from some necessary grocery shopping.

Here are some highlights:

- going to the Colosseum and NOT being a gladiator condemned to fight/die "damnatio ad bestia" (damnation by beast), or a spectator getting sprayed with perfume to cover up the stench of blood from all the death

- being a savvy enough tourist not to be taken by the "goofy gladiators" charging too much moola for having a photo with them pretending to stab you with fake swords, but being appreciative of the guy who did and laughing at him from afar

- watching entire families wearing the same straw hat purchased from the guys who spread out a bunch of them on sheets in the hot, hot sun

- having dirty gladiator feet at the end of walking over 6 miles on Monday

watching archeologists continue to dig at what must be some of the most plundered/excavated sites in the world


hanging out at the Temple of the Vestal Virgins site which (coincidentally?) also has some of the prettiest, and only, flowers in the Forum


warnings, dogs, and turtles at Hadrian's villa!




almost getting ambushed by one sneaky statue...
...and copping a feel from another one


finding this bar which must have seen its popularity increase 500% since Twilight came out


Viva Italia!